


The Gift

by pinkdiamonds



Category: Stargate SG-1
Genre: Dark, Drama, Episode Related, First Time, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-01-26
Updated: 2011-01-26
Packaged: 2017-10-15 02:38:29
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,498
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/156179
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pinkdiamonds/pseuds/pinkdiamonds
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Shifu leaves a parting gift for Jack and Daniel, one that is meant to overcome their fears. Will it lead to lasting love?</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Gift

**Author's Note:**

> Mention of character deaths and suicide, none of which really happens!

We made it to the gate room before Shifu left. I was glad Jack was still next to me; I was worried my legs would give out soon. Shifu’s ‘teaching’ method had left me shaken, scared and appalled at how easily I was turned into a monster. Using knowledge I hadn’t earned and had no right to corrupted me as surely as any Goa’uld.

I was deeply humiliated that Shifu had seen my total capitulation and surrender to my darker side. I was thankful Oma had seen to the raising of the boy; it was obvious I was no fit guardian.

Thinking my dark thoughts, I barely noticed at first the all-encompassing light that was Shifu surrounding Jack and myself. I felt a surge of energy, not unpleasant, and heard his voice in my mind; “I have a last gift for you, Daniel, and for you as well, Jack. Many battles should be denied, if the winning of them turns you away from the great path.”

When we were released from the light, my only thought was ‘At least I wasn’t left unconscious this time.’ I wondered what further ‘gift’ Shifu could want to give not only me, but Jack as well. Even while I was ‘learning’, becoming a monster, I’d felt a surge of longing for Jack. I tried to push it away; there was no room for things such as affection, love or longing in my quest for power.

~*~

I was glad Daniel was able to make it to the gate room, given how pale and shaken he looked. His eyes met mine and I could see how affected he’d been by whatever Shifu had put him through. Daniel never catches a fucking break; whatever shit gets thrown always lands right on top of him.

Shifu, nearly at the ramp seemed to sense Daniel’s presence and detoured over to us and then surrounded us. I tried stepping out of the light and was unable to twitch, let alone move. Fuck, I hated weird ass alien encounters, especially when I had no choice. I could hear the kid’s voice in my head telling me he had a gift for me and to deny battles. Whatever that meant. I wished Oma and her kind would speak in something other than riddles.

Shit, a gift. I hoped it wasn’t like the ‘gift’ he’d given Daniel. I tried thinking back at him, asking if I could return it and heard a gentle laugh. Guess not. I’ve yet to get a gift from an alien that hasn’t somehow fucked up my life.

When the kid finally made it through the gate, I asked Daniel if he wanted to come over for pizza, beer and television. I figured he wouldn’t want to be alone and he’d want to talk about what happened. If he wanted to tell me what put that god awful look in his eyes, I would be there doing my duty as his best friend.

~*~

“Pizza, Daniel? Some cold beer, maybe catch a game?” Jack asked me. I could see the concern in his eyes and didn’t want to say no. I knew he’d let it go if I didn’t feel like talking or listen if I did. An uncomplicated night sounded just about right to me. I didn’t really want to get into how the little ‘dream’ I was given proved that all my high ideals were thrown out the second I got a taste of power.

“Sure, Jack, that sounds great. Let me go get my stuff,” I told him.

I was feeling more in control by the time we made it to Jack’s house, looking forward to an uncomplicated night, just like so many nights I’d spent in Jack’s company.

~*~

I ordered a large pizza with everything and handed Daniel his beer. I didn’t want to ask about what had put that look in his eyes earlier so I contented myself with small talk, sports and the latest SGC gossip.

“So, Daniel, I heard Nyan and one of Janet’s nurse’s were getting friendly. Any truth there?”

“Yeah, only it’s two of them, Jessica and David. It’s driving Janet nuts since they’re both sniping at each other whenever they share a shift.”

“That Nyan’s a dog,” I said, laughing for the first time during this long day.

We ate, had another beer and caught some of the game. It was like so many other nights we had spent together, easy, light and comfortable. We didn’t discuss any meaning of life stuff, just hung out, doing the Jack and Daniel thing.

~*~

I was glad Jack had taken me home with him tonight. I didn’t think I could face myself without a good night’s sleep under my belt. I was sure I’d be feeling better by the morning. I felt pretty good now except for being tired. Two beers, three slices of pizza and half a game later, I could feel myself drifting off. Jack sent me to bed with a clap on my shoulder and I was too tired to argue. I was incredibly thankful that he hadn’t mentioned Shifu or the ordeal I’d gone through today.

I showered and climbed into bed, too tired to even fish out a pair of sweats. I think I was asleep before my head fully hit the pillows.

~*~

I knew Daniel would want to spend the night, just for the company. I made the evening as light and breezy as I knew how. We had some laughs and the subject of what he’d been through never came up. I suspected he wasn’t ready to deal; he would need time to mull it over and process first. I let him be, letting him know I was here if he needed me.

Before the game was finished I could see Daniel was exhausted and nodding off. I sent him off to take a shower and told him to get some sleep. For once he went off without protest. I contented myself with putting my hand on his shoulder; I would have preferred taking him in my arms, but I tried to put those feelings aside. There were too many reasons I wouldn’t allow myself to act; he had been married and then widowed, I was his CO, the regs, and his own innate sweetness. If Daniel ever knew what I really wanted, well, I didn’t think our friendship would survive. I had no business even thinking of what I wanted from him, let alone acting on it.

I took a much-needed shower and checked on Daniel before I turned in. He was so sound asleep he didn’t move a muscle even when the light from the hallway spilled in. Daniel looked so young when he slept, young and to my eyes, very beautiful.

I allowed my hand to very gently caress his face and he gave a sleepy murmur. I wondered and not for the first time what he’d sound like in passion. I knew I’d never get the chance to hear it and let myself be happy with having him safe and under my roof. That much of him I could have, that much and no more. I fell into my bed and fell into sleep nearly as soon as my head hit the pillow.

~*~

I awoke to find myself in front of Jack’s cabin in Minnesota with no idea how I’d gotten there. Not an altogether unusual occurrence if one works at the SGC. I racked my brain to figure out if we were on a mission and were now under an alien influence.

Deciding to check things out, I let myself in the cabin, calling Jack’s name. I found him in the kitchen, on the phone, clutching a large water glass filled with an amber liquid. Studying him, he seemed a few years older than I remembered him being the last time I’d seen him. I reached out to touch him so he wouldn’t be startled, but he had no reaction whatsoever.

It’s done, Carter,” I heard him say

“Look, I didn’t appreciate anything Doctor Jackson had to say to me. If he wants to leave the SGC and go globe trotting with some hot shot photographer while he writes a book, that’s his business.”

I couldn’t hear the other end of the conversation and I was couldn’t understand why Jack said my name with such venom in his voice. His words were slightly slurred and I’d seen Jack drunk enough times to know he’d had more than a few drinks.

“Yeah, Carter, thanks and good luck to you too. Keep in touch.”

After that cryptic conversation, Jack just sat at his table continuing to drink. Darkness fell and the only thing Jack moved for was to reach out a long arm to grab the Scotch bottle in front of him and to keep pouring.

His voice ringing out in the darkness startled me, “God damn you, Daniel. Why the fuck would you do this to me?” He threw his glass violently across the kitchen where it shattered. His anger frightened me as much as the wretched misery in his words did.

The darkness deepened and then I had to cover my eyes against the sudden light.

Jack was on his deck pretending to fish, his hands curled around a large water glass filled with what I presumed to be Scotch. I took in his appearance and it seemed to me he had aged once again. He was unshaven and his hair was completely white and longer than I’d ever seen it. His eyes were bloodshot and rheumy. He just sat there, muttering to himself and drinking.

Once again, the darkness took me and we were back in the kitchen and Jack was on the phone, the water glass ready at hand.

“How did it happen, Carter?”

“I see. Did we get his body back?”

“Yeah, Carter, it’s way too soon after losing George.”

“No, Carter, I don’t think I’ll make it. I’ll mourn Teal’c in my own way. I’m sure he’d understand. Is - - is Daniel going?”

“No, no messages. Tell Rya’c I’m sorry.”

“No, I don’t think that’s a good idea either. I’m not very good company these days, but thanks for the offer. Anyway you hate to fish and I’m sure Cassie would hate it too.”

Jack hung up after saying goodbye. He just sat sitting, staring at nothing, the tears slowly leaking from his eyes. He made no effort to wipe them away; I didn’t think he had the energy to do even so simple a thing. Jack was a husk of himself and his eyes looked dead. I could feel nausea and a deep sadness taking hold.

Darkness

Back in Jack’s kitchen and the only sound I could hear was the occasional clink from the ever-present glass and the steady ticking from his clock. Jack was just - - sitting and drinking. He’d gotten so thin and looked like an old, old man although I felt instinctively that no more than ten or fifteen years had gone by since I first entered the house. I didn’t think he could have lived longer than that with the amount he seemed to be drinking.

It was apparent to me Jack had become a full-blown alcoholic. His hair was long, greasy and stringy. He looked unwashed and soiled. His beard was matted and he looked like a homeless person. The endless silence except for the clock ticking was setting my teeth on edge and my nausea increased. How had the incredibly vibrant and alive man I loved come to this?

I couldn’t tear my eyes from him and so I saw the steely glint that once meant determination come into his eyes. Jack rose and walked around the small cabin gathering photographs from various places in the filthy and neglected rooms. He returned to the table with an armful of them.

Jack arranged the photos on the kitchen table very carefully. There was a photo of his dead son Charlie, his ex-wife Sara, his parents, Janet with Cassie, both of them laughing at something and forever frozen in time, General Hammond, smiling with his granddaughters, a photo of the original team sent to Abydos, an SG1 team photo, me dressed in a suit and in the center a photo of both of us, arms slung around each other. I wasn’t quite sure why Jack was doing this, but I had a very bad feeling. So bad, the nausea was moving quickly into the need to vomit.

All the people Jack had ever loved, everything Jack had ever cared about was sitting on the filthy table in front of him. He had none of them now, everyone of the people caught in a special moment of time were gone; dead or pushed out of his life or too busy or fed up to bother with a difficult and drunken recluse. His loneliness was terrible to witness. Those of us who still lived had completely abandoned Jack, had given up on him, forgetting what he was to us. It broke my heart.

I looked at the dirty, drunk and bitter man sitting at the table and was still able to see the man I loved. I wanted to take him in my arms and just hold him till this strange mood passed. I was afraid and felt the tears running down my face. I hated feeling so fucking helpless. I watched as Jack poured himself another drink. He reached over to the drawer where I knew he kept his gun and my heart began pounding in fear. I startled when I heard him speak, his voice horribly rusty.

“Loved you, loved you all. Don’t think badly of me … please. Just … don’t. Can’t take it anymore,” Jack sobbed as he looked over his lost loved ones. He picked up the photo of me, kissed it and put it down, “Loved you most of all, Daniel, don’t be mad at me.” Jack picked up the photo of the two of us, saluted it with his drink, then cradled the photo while he drank the large glass of whiskey he had poured himself in one long swallow and picked up his gun. Staring at the photos on the table, he mournfully sighed, “Love you, Danny, always loved you, Daniel.” He put the gun to his mouth and squeezed. I jumped when I heard the retort of his gun and I saw his body slumped and bleeding on the chair, still cradling the photo of us and dead, very fucking dead.

I felt my knees go and heard Shifu’s voice, piping and filled with wisdom say to me, “When one’s first choice is lost through fear, all other choices can only be second best.” I wanted to hurt someone, I could barely take the pain exploding throughout my body; Jack was gone.

~*~

I awoke and found myself in bed at my cabin, drunk and puking. I hate throwing up, that awful, gut wrenching feeling and everything else that goes along with it. I didn’t feel like that this time, I was strangely divorced from it and from the still drunk feeling. Dream, I thought, I’m dreaming.

And in the way of dreams, things changed and happened fast, while seeming to last for a long time. I was there, but still aware of me. I was acting and doing and feeling, but still dreaming. Strangest damn feeling, strangest damn dream.

I wondered why I was there and just sorta - - waited a bit and then I knew. A fight with Daniel, he left the program and I followed. I waited for the reason we’d fought, but I wasn’t getting anything. Just that drunk, but not really feeling. It was a constant. I didn’t know if it was because I was dreaming or if I was drinking non-stop in the dream.

On the phone with Carter and she’s telling me about some damn commitment ceremony Daniel’s having with the photographer he’d hooked up with. The dream me just kept drinking. I tried screaming at him - - me - - to sober up and go after him, but I couldn’t reach the dream me.

The dream me looked in the mirror today and I got a hellava surprise. He looked terrible, dirty, unshaven and sick. Didn’t seem to faze him though. I can feel his depression and anger and crushing loneliness. It’s so strong I can feel them with ease and his emotions are starting to become mine.

The sameness of everyday is deadly. Once a week he gets a food and booze delivery. He gets up, drinks, sometimes eats, drinks, pretends to fish and drinks till he passes out.

There’s no more television, he put his foot through it while watching the History channel one night after he’d seen an interview with Daniel and that photographer Barry something. Now the only sound in the house is the endless ticking of the fucking clock. It’s like a deathwatch; No, it is a deathwatch.

On the phone again with Carter who only calls once a year now. I know it can’t be good news because it’s not time for the annual call. Teal’c is dead, killed in action, his throat slit. When George died, there was only a letter. I can only sit and cry. How did my life get to be this endless dream? I’ve been here for at least fifteen years and I don’t know how much more I can take. Is this really a dream? I don’t know anymore, I just don’t know.

He’s - - I’ve decided to do it. End it. I can hardly wait.

~*~

I arranged the photos of the people I loved thinking they would be as good or better than a suicide note. All of them gone from me now, taken by death or time. I never had the balls to spread my life out in front of me and take stock as it were.

I’d done my grieving, accepted nearly all my losses. The one loss I never could accept, the loss I hadn’t been able to figure out my life around was Daniel. I couldn’t even remember why the fuck I’d been so scared of telling him how I felt.

Didn’t matter now. I’d come to this place to forget, started drinking to forget, cut myself off from the world in order to forget. I never could forget Daniel though and every mention of him, of the life he’d managed to build for himself was like a knife twisting in my guts. I was dead inside and had been for years. Time to let my body in on that ill kept secret.

I poured a last drink and got my gun. One last look at the people I loved and who’d meant so much to me. “Loved you, loved you all. Don’t think badly of me … please. Just … don’t. Can’t take it anymore,” I sobbed, barely recognizing my voice, which I hadn’t used in far too long. I picked up the photo of Daniel, kissed it and put it down, “Loved you most of all, Daniel, don’t be mad at me.” I picked up the photo of me and Daniel, saluted it with my drink, and then cradled the photo while I drank the large glass of Scotch I’d poured in one long swallow and picked up my gun. My eyes turned to his beautiful face; glad he’d be the last thing I saw. “Love you, Danny, always loved you, Daniel.” I put the gun to my mouth and squeezed the trigger.

~*~

The retort of the gun woke me. Without thought, I leaped from the bed and ran to Jack’s room, grieving, crying, heart jumping out of my chest, sweating but also shaking with the chills racking my body, desperate to get to him, wild to make sure he … I knew it had been a dream, but I felt desolate, as though Jack were really gone.

His last word had been my name; I was so devastated by what I’d seen and felt I paid no mind to my nudity, to the tears still coursing down my face. I threw his door open, got into bed with him and took him into my arms.

Jack hadn’t woken, but was talking in his sleep. “Daniel” he moaned in nearly the same rusty voice I’d heard in my god awful fucking nightmare. His body was writhing and he was crying, almost as heavily as I was. His brow was furrowed, and he looked grey in the moonlit room. I gathered him closer to me, beyond caring anymore about what was right, wrong, or against the fucking regs.

Jack woke slowly, gripping tightly to my body; I knew he hadn’t a clue who it was, but he needed the warmth of another person right then. His face was buried against my shoulder and I felt him shudder, felt wetness on my bare skin, heard him gasping.

“Danny,” he whispered, clinging to me tightly. Jack was shivering, his voice hitching in his throat, his hands and arms gripping me painfully. I could feel his heart stuttering madly against my chest. He seemed confused unable for the moment to separate reality from the dream he’d been subjected to and suffered through.

“It’s okay, Jack. I’ve got you,” I told him, stroking his back and cupping his head to my shoulder. “Shh, shh, I’ve got you. It’ll be alright.” Not knowing if I was comforting him or myself, I felt my lips in his hair, kissing softly, bringing him back to me.

~*~

I heard the retort of the gun and then … Blackness, inky and impenetrable. A far off light, which I swam for, hearing a disembodied voice telling me, “When one refuses to follow their heart due to fear, universes can be lost.” I surfaced from the darkness slowly, by degrees. Realized first it was a nightmare, the most horrible nightmare I’d ever had; even the nightmares after Iraq hadn’t been this bad. I realized next I wasn’t alone; that the body I was clinging to was real. “Danny,” I whispered, not really knowing, but wanting, hoping.

I could feel myself shaking and crying into the body I was clinging to, felt arms holding me tightly, petting me and kissing my head. A soothing voice penetrated my fear and I knew it was Daniel, comforting me, grounding me, trying to bring me back to the here and now.

“God, Daniel, what the fuck just happened,” I asked, my voice still raspy and my arms still clinging. My tears were easing off, but I still couldn’t keep my body from shaking against Daniel. The emotions I’d felt during my nightmare were still coursing through me. It had been so vivid, so real, I had lived that Jack’s life, felt his misery, his shattering loneliness, understood what made him pull the trigger.

“What do you remember, Jack,” Daniel asked me quietly, refusing to relinquish his hold on me.

“It … it was me. I was him. It was like I lived every day of that miserable bastard’s life,” I said, knowing I was probably making no sense.

“Why kill yourself, Jack?”

“Wait. How do you know? How could you …?”

“I was there. It was like watching a movie. I … I couldn’t touch you, you couldn’t hear me. I tried to stop you, tried to tell you how much I… After, after you killed yourself, I heard Shifu’s voice.”

I was starting to feel like myself, certainly I was thinking more clearly. I had a sick feeling in my stomach though that my eyes looked like Daniel’s had in the gate room after Shifu was done teaching him. The memory of Shifu giving me and Daniel a gift slammed into my mind. I felt tears begin to gather again and wondered at the utter cruelty of such a gift. I hoped when Daniel was being taught by Shifu it hadn’t been as devastating, but I supposed it had been. No wonder he didn’t want to talk about it.

“I heard his voice too. He said if I didn’t follow my heart due to fear, universes would be lost,” I told Daniel before he could ask. “What did he say to you?”

“That if my first choice was lost because of fear, all other choices would be second best.”

“I’m sensing a theme here, Daniel.”

“Tell me why you killed yourself, Jack. I think I need to know.”

I was scared to answer Daniel’s question, scared shitless. But I thought about what Shifu was ‘teaching’ us and it was all about fear, fear and denying the battle. I’d been fighting my feelings for Daniel almost since I met him. I’d found one excuse after another; did I really want to end up like that poor pitiful bastard I’d become, without a friend or anyone who cared about him? Maybe the lesson was to just bite the fucking bullet and take a chance. Maybe I should stop fighting my feelings and give into them, lay my cards on the table and see where I landed. Anything was better than the sorry end I’d just experienced.

“I killed myself because I couldn’t live without you anymore, Daniel. I left the SGC after a bad argument with you, went to my cabin and proceeded to shove everyone I’d ever loved away. I had to listen to Carter calling me, letting me know who’d died and how, I listened to her telling me about you and some famous photographer running around writing books together. I knew you two were together and I couldn’t fuckin’ deal, I knew I’d lost my chance with you.”

“I went to the cabin because I wanted to forget, Daniel. And when I couldn’t forget, I wanted to die, only it took me fifteen fuckin’ years to do it,” I gasped out. We’d just seen the result of my attempt to forget and what it had lead to.

“I can barely remember a time since I met you that I haven’t been in love with you. I wanted you, Daniel, almost from the start, only I was too scared to tell you. By the time I got up my courage, you were with that Barry guy and I figured I didn’t have the right to fuck up your life anymore than it already was. Only thing is, Daniel, I never fell out of love with you. How fucked up is that?” I finished, angry with him and myself.

~*~

“Pretty fucked up, Jack, no question.”

I still hadn’t let go of Jack and I wasn’t planning to unless he threw me off him. We’d spent too many years fighting our feelings, denying what was between us. It was time to stop fighting, to deny the battle. In any case Jack didn’t seem to be in any hurry to move. I decided to take a chance, to do something I’d wanted to do for a very long time.

I shifted my body down a bit, leaned over Jack and kissed him. Gently and softly I slid my lips over his. It was an achingly sweet kiss and Jack was right there with me. I could feel myself harden and I pressed myself closer. His mouth opened to me for the briefest moment of time and then he was gently pushing me away.

~*~

Daniel was still holding me, his arms wrapped tightly around me, cradling me to his body. I knew I should move, but I … needed him, needed his strength and I wanted to have this as a memory to carry with me.

Daniel’s kiss was a soothing balm, so sweetly gentle and achingly tender. I felt him harden and heard his breath catch. I hated pushing him away, hated that I couldn’t lose myself in him. God knows I wanted to pull him closer, give myself up to him allowing all my passion to flow out of me and into him. But I couldn’t. If I allowed this kiss, I’d end up taking much more

I felt Daniel was having an emotional reaction from seeing me die in the dream Shifu forced on us. Anytime I’d ever come home from a funereal, I’d make love to Sara. I didn’t need to be a shrink to know the blinding need for sex after mourning a death was an affirmation of life. The only time it hadn’t happened was after Charlie died.

The last thing I wanted to be for Daniel was a warm body after an emotional trauma. I wanted far more from him and I didn’t know if our friendship would survive if I gave in to him under these circumstances. I didn’t think I’d survive if we made love tonight and never again.

“Daniel, stop. We can’t do this,” I said, stilling his hands as they wandered over my face, arms and back.

‘Yeah we can, Jack.”

“No, Daniel. You don’t really want this; it’s a reaction because of the dream. You’ll be thinking better in the morning.”

“Uh-uh, Jack. The only thing I’ll be thinking of in the morning is making love again. And I do want this, Jack, wanted it for a long time now. You’re always gonna be my first choice,” he murmured, raining tiny nibbling kisses along the column of my throat and my face.

His face was so close, his lips so near, but still, I had to ask, “Are you sure, Daniel? For me, there’s no going back.”

His eyes were blazing and intent on mine when he whispered, “I’ve never been more sure of anything in my life.”

I was lost. I gave myself up to Daniel, to passion, to love, to need. I pulled him in for a deep and wet passion-filled kiss, rolling him over so I could feel the full length of him under me. His body was hard and muscular but his skin was softer than I ever imagined it could be. Daniel was so responsive to my every touch, trembling and moaning in my arms.

I stroked his thighs and he opened sweetly for me. I needed to feel his hard cock stroking against mine, needed to feel the thrilling glide and friction. I couldn’t let go of his lush mouth for long, both of us demanding deeper kisses with every thrust of our hips.

I cupped Daniel’s head and arched against him, strong but slow. I brought us to the brink again and again but wouldn’t let us fall. Not yet. Our bodies were slicked with sweat, muscles jumping. My hips circled and stroked into him. Daniel answered me thrust for thrust and stroke for stroke. I could feel my cock throbbing, could feel Daniel’s touch on me, perfect and knowing.

Daniel, inarticulate for once was moaning throatily, his hands roaming and grasping my back. Having Daniel moving beneath me, feeling the sensuous writhing of his body, hearing him moan in passion, taking in the scent of our arousal, tasting his mouth and sweat slicked flesh was driving me closer to the edge.

I’d wanted Daniel for so long and the freedom to touch him, taste him, make love with him was heating my blood in a way that I’d never before felt. “Christ, Daniel. Love this, so good.”

Daniel wrapped his long legs around my back, pushing against me with more urgency. I pushed back harder and harder and our slow simmer boiled over. He tore his lips from mine, panting my name and I felt a scalding wetness splash against me.

Unable to hold out any longer, I thrust again and again and came long and hard with an exquisite intensity that was nearly painful. I collapsed onto Daniel and his hands kept stroking me, loving me.

“Mine, Jack, you’re mine.”

“Yours, Daniel. I’ve been yours since day one, Daniel,” I said with a small laugh.

“Love you, Jack, loved you for so damn long now,” he said, his voice still raspy.

“I love you back, Daniel. Love you always,” I told him with simple truth. I felt him fall asleep, curled into me.

It had been a long, emotional day and night for him and for me as well. I still didn’t know how I felt about Shifu’s gift. I knew it had taken Daniel to reach inside me and twist my soul, the part of me that was purely Jack, back into the shape it was meant to be. Hell, Daniel touched me on the first day we met. But Shifu’s gift was a double bladed sword.

It was both the most fucked up and beautiful gift I’d ever received. It had given me a vision of a horrible life, one with no love and no Daniel. Ultimately, Shifu’s gift gave me Daniel. All I knew was I didn’t want to live without love in my life any more. I sure as hell didn’t want to be without Daniel. I’d stopped fighting and stopped fearing and opened myself to love. And I guess that’s all that really matters in the end.


End file.
